Mail Champlain

Mail Champlain, commonly known in English as Champlain Mall, is an enclosed shopping centre in Brossard, Quebec, Canada. It occupies a strategically important retail location at the intersection of Taschereau Boulevard and Lapinière Boulevard, close to Autoroute 10 and the Brossard-Panama public-transit terminus. The property serves the densely populated South Shore of Montreal and sits on Taschereau Boulevard, one of the region’s principal commercial arteries. The mall is reported to attract approximately 6.4 million visitors annually. The project originated in the late 1950s, before Brossard became a city. In October 1957, Ivanhoe Corporation, working through Westmount Realties Company, acquired land from the parish of La Prairie-de-la-Madeleine with the intention of developing a shopping centre. Ivanhoe submitted a development request to the emerging City of Brossard in September 1960, but construction did not begin immediately. The centre eventually opened in the autumn of 1975 with approximately 300,000 square feet and 60 stores. Its initial anchor tenants included Sears and Steinberg’s. Sears had opened its store in March 1975, its first location in the Greater Montreal area, while Steinberg’s began operating at the site in April of the same year. Mail Champlain expanded rapidly after opening. A first enlargement, completed on September 1, 1977, added 35 stores and brought the tenant count above 100. Miracle Mart, Arlington, Cardinal and Taylor’s were among the additions; Miracle Mart was later renamed M. A much larger expansion was completed in August 1988. It increased the centre to more than 700,000 square feet, added around 50 boutique spaces, introduced a food court and multi-level parking, and created two wings leading to a new Hudson’s Bay store, which opened on August 3, 1988. Ownership evolved alongside the mall’s expansion. Ivanhoe and Kerrybrooke, real-estate subsidiaries associated with Steinberg’s and Sears Canada, jointly owned the property for a period. Sears divested a 25 percent interest in 1990, and Ivanhoe acquired Sears’ remaining stake in 1994. Sears nevertheless remained a major anchor tenant for many years. In 1994, Les Ailes de la Mode opened its first store in the former M location. The property also experimented with entertainment retail: an IMAX theatre opened in 1996, once described as the largest in Quebec, but closed on November 6, 2000 following a contractual dispute involving its operator and IMAX Corporation. Archambault announced a large-format store in 1998, and Sears completed a reported 20-million-dollar renovation of its Champlain, Galeries d’Anjou and Carrefour Laval stores in September of that year. A 40-million-dollar renovation was completed in late 2011 to refresh the mall and strengthen its position against South Shore competitors such as Quartier DIX30 and Promenades Saint-Bruno. Ivanhoé Cambridge sold the property to Cominar in October 2014. The tenant mix later changed substantially. On April 21, 2018, Decathlon opened its first Canadian store in the former Les Ailes de la Mode premises. A Mayrand supermarket opened on July 15, 2020, using a substantial portion of the former Sears space. The mall’s major listed anchors and large tenants include Hudson’s Bay, Decathlon, Mayrand, Atmosphère/Sports Experts and Archambault. Its positioning combines department-store retail, sporting goods, food and grocery, entertainment history, and everyday shopping within a large regional centre serving Montreal’s South Shore.

The origins of Champlain Mall predate the incorporation of Brossard as a city. In October 1957, Ivanhoe Corporation, through its business partner Westmount Realties Company, purchased a group of lots from the parish of La Prairie-de-la-Madeleine. The intended development was a shopping centre at the future intersection of Provencher and Pelletier boulevards. Ivanhoe formally requested permission from the emerging City of Brossard on September 12, 1960, but the project took roughly fifteen years to reach completion. The centre opened in the autumn of 1975 under the name Champlain Mall, or Mail Champlain in French. It began with approximately 300,000 square feet and 60 stores. Sears and Steinberg’s served as the principal original anchors. The Sears location had opened on March 12, 1975, and was the chain’s first store in Greater Montreal. Steinberg’s opened its location in April 1975, before the formal inauguration of the mall. The first expansion was completed on September 1, 1977. It added 35 stores and increased the number of tenants to more than 100. Miracle Mart, Arlington, Cardinal and Taylor’s were among the retailers introduced during this phase. Miracle Mart was later shortened to M in August 1986. A second, substantially larger expansion was completed in August 1988. The centre grew beyond 700,000 square feet, gained approximately 50 additional boutique spaces, and received a food court and multi-level parking structure. Hudson’s Bay opened its new anchor store on August 3, 1988, in the enlarged section formed by two wings leading toward the department store. For a period, ownership was shared by Ivanhoe and Kerrybrooke, real-estate subsidiaries connected with Steinberg’s and Sears Canada. Sears sold a 25 percent interest in the mall in 1990. Ivanhoe acquired the remaining Sears-held shares in 1994, although Sears continued as an anchor tenant for many years. Les Ailes de la Mode opened its first store on August 10, 1994, in the former M location. Entertainment was also added to the property: an IMAX theatre opened in 1996, using specialized sound and 3-D equipment, but closed on November 6, 2000 after a contractual dispute between operator TheMax Inc. and IMAX Corporation. Retail and cultural tenants continued to evolve. Archambault announced a 20,000-square-foot megastore in early 1998, while Sears completed a reported 20-million-dollar renovation of three stores, including its Champlain Mall location, in September 1998. By the late 2000s, the property faced stronger competition from newer South Shore developments. A reported 40-million-dollar facelift was completed in late 2011 to modernize the centre and improve its competitive appeal. In October 2014, Ivanhoé Cambridge sold Champlain Mall to Cominar. The mall subsequently gained a major sporting-goods presence when Decathlon opened its first Canadian store there on April 21, 2018, in the former Les Ailes de la Mode space. Mayrand opened a supermarket on July 15, 2020, occupying much of the former Sears premises. The centre is positioned near Taschereau Boulevard, Autoroute 10 and the Brossard-Panama terminus, supporting its role as a regional shopping destination for Brossard and Montreal’s South Shore.

• 2020

  Mayrand supermarket opens

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Mayrand opened on July 15 in a large portion of the former Sears space.

• 2018

  Decathlon makes Canadian debut

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Decathlon opened its first Canadian store at Champlain Mall on April 21.

• 2014

  Property sold to Cominar

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Ivanhoé Cambridge sold the mall to Cominar in October.

• 2011

  Renovation completed

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  A reported 40-million-dollar facelift was completed to refresh the property and respond to competition from other South Shore retail centres.

• 2000

  IMAX theatre closes

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The theatre closed on November 6 following a contractual dispute involving its operator and IMAX Corporation.

• 1996

  IMAX theatre opens

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  An IMAX theatre opened at the mall and was described as the largest in Quebec at the time.

• 1994

  Ivanhoe acquires Sears-held interests

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Ivanhoe acquired the remaining shares Sears held in the property after Sears had divested a 25 percent interest in 1990.

• 1988

  Major expansion adds Hudson’s Bay

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  An August expansion increased the mall beyond 700,000 square feet and added Hudson’s Bay, new boutiques, a food court and multi-level parking.

• 1977

  First expansion completed

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The September 1 expansion added 35 stores and took the tenant count above 100.

• 1975

  Champlain Mall opens

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall opened in the autumn with about 300,000 square feet, 60 stores, Sears and Steinberg’s as major anchors.

• 1960

  Development request submitted

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Ivanhoe submitted a development request to the emerging City of Brossard on September 12, 1960.

• 1957

  Land acquired for a future shopping centre

  [1]Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Ivanhoe Corporation, working with Westmount Realties Company, acquired lots from the parish of La Prairie-de-la-Madeleine for a proposed shopping-centre development.

A large regional shopping centre serving Brossard and Montreal’s South Shore, with convenient access from Taschereau Boulevard, Autoroute 10 and public transit. Its tenant mix emphasizes department stores, sports and outdoor equipment, grocery, cultural retail, fashion and everyday services.

• Department store · 1988

  Hudson’s Bay

  Hudson’s Bay is the mall’s largest listed anchor, occupying approximately 144,559 square feet. Its store opened during the major 1988 expansion and provides broad department-store merchandise across fashion, home and related categories.

• Sporting goods · 2018

  Decathlon

  The approximately 60,000-square-foot Decathlon store opened in 2018 in the former Les Ailes de la Mode space. It sells sporting goods and equipment across multiple sports and represented the retailer’s first Canadian location.

• Supermarket · 2020

  Mayrand

  Mayrand opened a roughly 50,000-square-foot supermarket in 2020, using a substantial part of the former Sears location. Its presence expanded the mall’s offer beyond conventional fashion and department-store shopping into food and grocery retail.

• Sporting goods and outdoor retail

  Atmosphère/Sports Experts

  Atmosphère/Sports Experts is a large sporting-goods and outdoor-equipment tenant listed at approximately 37,542 square feet, complementing Decathlon and reinforcing the centre’s sports-retail profile.

• Cultural and specialty retail · 1998

  Archambault

  Archambault operates a large-format cultural retail store at the mall. The chain announced a planned 20,000-square-foot megastore in 1998, and the current listed premises are approximately 17,664 square feet.

• 2020

  Repurpose former Sears premises for grocery retailStrategy

  Background

  The closure or departure of Sears created a large vacant anchor space within the property.

  Action taken

  Mayrand opened a supermarket on July 15, occupying a substantial portion of the former Sears location.

  Aftermath

  The tenant mix gained a significant grocery component and reduced reliance on traditional department-store retail.

  Source

• 2018

  Open Decathlon’s first Canadian storeProduct launch

  Background

  The former Les Ailes de la Mode space provided an opportunity for a large-format sporting-goods tenant.

  Action taken

  Decathlon opened its first Canadian store at Champlain Mall on April 21.

  Aftermath

  The opening added a major international sporting-goods retailer and strengthened the mall’s sports-oriented offer.

  Source

• 2011

  Modernize the shopping centreStrategy

  Background

  The mall faced increasing competition from newer South Shore developments, including Quartier DIX30 and Promenades Saint-Bruno.

  Action taken

  A major facelift was completed in late 2011 to update the property and improve its competitive position.

  Aftermath

  The renovation refreshed the centre before its 2014 ownership transfer and later tenant repositioning.

  Reported renovation cost. CAD 40 million (Completed in late 2011)

  Source

• 1988

  Undertake a major expansionStrategy

  Background

  The mall required additional space and stronger anchor offerings as the South Shore retail market developed.

  Action taken

  The centre expanded beyond 700,000 square feet, added about 50 boutique spaces, and introduced Hudson’s Bay, a food court and multi-level parking.

  Aftermath

  The enlarged property became a substantially larger regional shopping destination.

  Source

• 1977

  Expand the centre after initial openingStrategy

  Background

  The original 1975 centre opened with 60 stores and quickly established a regional customer base.

  Action taken

  A first expansion opened on September 1, adding 35 stores and taking the tenant count above 100.

  Aftermath

  The expansion established a pattern of growth that culminated in the much larger 1988 redevelopment.

  Source

1. 1Champlain Mallen.wikipedia.org